In this edition of Bulls N’ Bears Big Hits, we examine some notable drill intercepts revealed on the ASX, including from G11 Resources’ extensive and under-explored volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) system at Wilandra in NSW.
We also take a close look at other interesting drill hits from last week as reported by Firetail Resources from its Skyline VMS copper project in Canada and Dreadnought Resources’ solid gold hits from its Star of Mangaroon project.
So, let’s dive in.
G11 Resources
Wilandra Copper Project
G11 Resources has intersected significant copper assays in drilling of a volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) zone in the “Wilandra Copper Corridor” at the company’s Koonenberry project in Western NSW, about 135km east of the historic and massively-endowed mining centre of Broken Hill.
Its recent best hole intercepted 9.3m grading 1.42 per cent copper, 0.98 per cent zinc, 0.11g/t gold and 3.79g/t silver from 341.2m.
The intercept included 5.9m at 2.13 per cent copper, 1.50 per cent zinc, 0.16g/t gold and 5.64g/t silver from 341.2m.
Interestingly, the hole also intersected what appears to be a fault-controlled zone of massive sulphide mineralisation which returned 1m at 4.67 per cent copper, 1.96 per cent zinc, 0.21g/t gold and 10.6g/t silver from 327.8m, just above the 9.3m VMS intercept.
In a second hole drilled 380m further to the east/south-east, another section probed 8.3m at 1.03 per cent, 0.61 per cent zinc, 0.07g/t gold and 3.60g/t silver from 327.9m including 3.4m at 2.19 per cent copper, 1.32 per cent zinc, 0.14g/t gold and 7.15g/t silver from 327.9m
The drilling comprises part of the company’s initial step-out drilling program designed to probe the possible scale of the copper-rich massive sulphide mineralisation at the company’s Wilandra copper project.
The latest results form part of a 3546.4m RC pre-collar and HQ diamond core drill program targeting the Peveril zone, which forms the north-western portion of the 4km long Peveril-Grasmere trend of mineralisation.
The results reflect a VMS system sitting along strike from the structurally-controlled high-grade plunging copper-rich massive sulphide mineralisation intersected in previous drilling at Peveril, where assays and geophysics point to an extensive copper-rich VMS zone.
The work program also included downhole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveys to assist with drill targeting. The EM has been successful in identifying multiple on- and off-hole EM conductors which reflect the presence of copper-rich massive sulphides subsequently confirmed by drilling.
Multiple overlapping conductors modelled from downhole EM (DHEM) responses below existing shallow drill hits reflect low to moderate copper grades and support the strong potential for a 1km-long strike of massive sulphide mineralisation below those hits that extend down-dip as far 500m below surface.
Ground-based moving loop electromagnetic (MLEM) geophysical surveying along the Peveril line of strike began this month to follow-up priority helicopter-borne transient electromagnetic (Heli-TEM) surveys which sniff out potential VMS-related anomalism along-strike from Peveril.
The results of initial drilling around Peveril validate the company’s exploration strategy of combining drilling and focused EM-style surveys to test the along-strike potential of the Wilandra copper project.
So far, testing has focused solely on the Peveril zone, which represents only about one-third of the strike extent of the known 4km-long Peveril–Grasmere trend.
Both Central Gossan and Grasmere – between about 2km and 4km further east/south-east along strike from Peveril - remain untested by G11’s proven combination of EM-and-drill strategy.
A distinct possibility remains that additional copper-rich massive sulphides will be identified in these two zones which have had minimal drilling, all of which is very shallow and remains open at depth.
Assays and geophysical results have defined an extensive copper-rich VMS zone at Peveril which remains open at depth below about 500m from surface and also along strike to the west/north-west.
The arcuate Wilandra corridor is a 75km-long stretch of the Koonenberry project which is prospective for polymetallic mineralisation. The corridor hosts a number of zones of copper mineralisation and the company says it looks like it could become the biggest copper-rich massive sulphide zone identified to date in far Western NSW.
G11’s Koonenberry project is an emerging, district-scale, copper and base metals exploration package comprising 12 exploration licences enclosing over 3300 sq km along the more than 175km strike of the underexplored Koonenberry Belt.
The project and the region have only been subject to minimal historical exploration, despite numerous base metal occurrences being recorded that are crying out for additional attention.
The company sees significant potential in expanding the mineralisation as proven to date by recent geophysics and geochemistry.
G11 has recently completed a district-scale geochemical survey - the first of its scale and extent at Wilandra - with about 5000 samples being analysed. The company’s phased geochemical programs have successfully identified multielement base and precious metal anomalism and it plans further surveys.
Geophysics, mapping and geochemistry have defined targets from the initial 4kms to now over 30kms of strike and numerous drill ready targets have been defined in the central and northern parts of the corridor.
Additionally, a further 35kms of the corridor extend to the south, obscured by colluvial and alluvial cover in the broader Koonenberry Belt, while known mineralisation over 4.5kms within a 75km-long belt and copper-lead-zinc-silver soil anomalies have been gleaned from more than 30km of strike and remain open.
Some structures have also been defined by geophysical surveys over 12kms of strike which coincide with widespread geochemical anomalies.
It’s early days yet however G11 looks to be on a winner in the Wilandra corridor, with compelling evidence for strong along-strike continuity of massive sulphide-hosted copper-zinc-gold-silver mineralisation and the strong depth persistence of near-vertical panels of potential ore at good grades.
Caption - Firetail Resources’ Canadian VMS-hosted Skyline copper project produced about 100,000 tonnes in the range of 3 to 12 per cent copper between 1898 and 1913. Credit: File
Firetail Resources
Skyline Copper Project, Newfoundland, Canada.
Firetail’s recent results include a high-grade massive copper-zinc-silver sulphide diamond drill-core intercept which assayed 16.07m at 1.58 per cent copper, 2.55 per cent zinc and 5.52g/t silver from 152.0m within the hanging-wall of a steeply-dipping, 75m-wide mineralised envelope.
The intercept also includes 3.50m going 6.74 per cent copper, 10.61 per cent zinc and 23.87g/t silver from 153m.
The same hole continued on to core out a significant, separate footwall interval of 28.53m at 1.41 per cent copper from 185.66m, including 5.45m at 3.29 per cent copper from 195.15m and 2.36m going 4.24 per cent copper from 206.24m.
The 60o hole is Firetail’s first in the company’s proposed 5000m maiden diamond core drilling program at its Skyline copper project in Newfoundland, Canada, where drilling has confirmed at least two distinct high-grade, massive sulphide lenses within the envelope.
The two steeply-dipping zones sit about 5m apart at the respective pierce-points of the hole and both zones remain open up- and down-dip for the present.
However, results are pending for two additional holes already completed on the same section and could change the overall picture.
One of those additional holes was inclined at a flatter 45o angle so it would pierce both hanging-wall and foot-wall mineralisation up-dip from the same drill-pad as the headline hole.
The other hole was drilled at a steeper inclination of nominally 64o as a step-back from the headline hole, aimed at intercepting both mineralised lenses down-dip from the headline hole.
Drilling is also continuing along strike.
A previous drill hole intercepted the hanging-wall mineralisation about 5m down-dip from the headline hole intercept, jagging 44m going 1.25 per cent copper and 0.43 per cent zinc from 146m, including 4.5m at 4.58 per cent copper and 4.03 per cent zinc from 162.21m.
Despite stopping short of the footwall zone, the intercept is a significant hit which supports Firetail’s most recent hanging-wall result and extends the mineralisation about 5m further down-dip.
The results justify Firetail’s vision for the project and its proposed 5000m program designed to extend previous drilling and is focussed primarily on the 75m-wide mineralised corridor which hosts the volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) style of mineralisation.
The company’s enthusiasm for the project is also justified by previously-identified multiple zones in historic and current drilling which it believes indicates at least two mineralising events.
Firetail plans more drilling within the broader mineralised corridor and has devised a systematic program to identify the limits of the mineralisation along a strike distance of about 600m.
In parallel with the drilling, Firetail is also planning a high-resolution airborne electromagnetic (EM) survey across the initial project area which encloses about 16km of prospective strike, to identify and prioritise conductors and follow them up with drilling.
Firetail’s Skyline project was subject to previous small-scale historical underground production between 1898 and 1913 which yielded about 100,000 tonnes mined at between 3 and 12 per cent copper, 7 per cent zinc and between 1 and 3 ounces per tonne silver.
Only shallow exploration - to less than 300m depth - has been completed, with historical exploration limited to two key areas, at the old York Harbour mine and the Number 4 Pond target.
Multiple significant intercepts were acquired in earlier work, including one run of 29m at 5.25 per cent copper and 9g/t silver from 147m including 3.24m at 9.54 per cent copper, 3.5 per cent zinc and 10g/t silver from 167.8m.
A second hole intercepted 24.3m at 2.77 per cent copper, 9.3 per cent zinc and 18g/t silver from 93m.
From the initial drilling results, management says the hanging-wall massive sulphide zone features consistent copper grades, with supporting zinc and silver grades and very low arsenic, while the foot-wall zone appears to be a broader, copper-dominated mineralising event with higher-grade internal zones.
As the drilling program advances and results are routinely compiled and interpreted, the company awaits the outcome of its project-wide airborne EM survey which it sees as having strong potential to identify other conductors that could represent previously unknown or “blind” massive sulphide deposits.
Dreadnought Resources
Star of Mangaroon Gold Mine
Dreadnought Resources recently completed four diamond drillholes at the company’s historic 68-year-old Star of Mangaroon underground gold show on Mangaroon Station, in Western Australia’s Gascoyne region, 250km south-east of Exmouth.
The holes were put in for geological and geotechnical purposes to support the company’s imminent maiden JORC mineral resource estimate for “The Star”.
Results from one hole include 2.7m at 55.5g/t gold from 32.7m while a second hole yielded an intercept of 2.0m at 22.6g/t gold from 48.0m.
The Star of Mangaroon mine was discovered in 1956 by local pastoralist Allan McDonald. It turned out to be the best historic gold producer in the Gascoyne with a recorded production of 7464 ounces at a whopping average grade of 34.8g/t gold between 1960 and 1983, mostly from the underground workings from which the deepest extraction level was about 90m below surface.
However, the old mine has seen little exploration since its discovery and initial exploitation, although drilling in the 1990s produced significant results.
These include four holes yielding 4m at 26g/t gold from 9m; 7m at 14.3g/t gold from 21m; 2m at 29.8g/t gold from 19m; and 1m at 53g/t gold from 18m.
Dreadnought also drilled last year with 18 reverse circulation (RC) holes for 1725m and two 2 diamond holes for 137.9m to confirm and extend the mineralisation along strike and at depth.
Significant results from that program include one hole intercepting 9m at 13.4g/t gold from 9m, including 2m at 59.4g/t gold from 16m; a second hole nailed 7m at 23g/t gold from 53m, including 3m at 48.9g/t gold from 54m and a third hole with 8m at 15.5g/t gold from 89m, including 3m at 30.4g/t gold from 90m.
In August 2024, Dreadnought undertook additional drilling of 26 RC holes for 2862m and four diamond holes for 319.2m to support its planned maiden mineral resource from the upper 100m to 120m of the deposit.
Assays from the August drilling included five high-grade gold intercepts in the range of 3m to 4m at grades between 5.1g/t gold and up to 55.5 g/t gold between surface and a maximum of 106m depth.
Dreadnought’s 100 per cent owned Mangaroon project extends over an area of more than 5300 sq km where the company is primarily focused on the 15km-by-10km gold system within the Mangaroon Shear Zone.
Many historical workings along the shear zone have only seen limited shallow drilling along about 200m of strike near the Star of Mangaroon mine.
The company’s goal is to become a self-funded explorer via a potential high-grade open pit at “The Star” where mine development is outsourced to third parties, a strategy which has become common practice for small companies to exploit smaller mines in this current period of high gold prices.
Should the company’s strategy prove successful and the gold price holds, the model could be extended to other smaller operations such as the nearby Popeye, Two Peaks, Lead, Pritchard Well and other projects in the areas, thereby reducing reliance on market funding.
Dreadnought says delivery of its maiden resource remains on track for this month and it will no doubt be highly anticipated by the market.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au
By Doug Bright
